Boat lowering and detaching apparatus.



No. 640,027. Patented Dec. 26, I899.

G. S. A. RANKING.

BOAT LOWERiNG AND DETAGHING APPARATUS.

(Application filed July 3, 1899.)

(No Model.)

m5 NORRIS zrzns cu. PHDTO-LITHDY, WASHINGTON, n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE SPEIRS ALEXANDER RANKING, OF OALCUTTA, INDIA.

BOAT LOWERING AND DETACHING APPARATUS.

.SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,027, datedDecember 26, 1899.

Application filed July 3 1899. Serial No. 722,785. (No model.)

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE SPEIRS ALEX- ANDER RANKING,lieutenant-colonel Indian Medical Service, a subject of Her Majesty theQueen of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of N o. 17 ElysiumRow, Calcutta, India, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin or Relating to Boat Lowering and Disengaging Appliances, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of my invention is to construct improved appliances in orrelating to boatlowering apparatus whereby boats may be safely loweredin a seaway, both ends of the boat being simultaneously released, thusinsuring the safe descent of the boat into the water and obviating alldanger of entanglement of the falls or of one end of the boat hitchingup, which occurrences frequently cause loss of life when lowering boatsat sea.

According to my invention I suspend the boat to the hoisting-gear bymeans of two horizontal levers pivoted together at their meeting ends orto the ends of a beam, the levers being attached to the falls. The boatis attached to the outer ends of these levers by two detachable chains,one at each end, and by a third chain fixed t0 the meeting ends of thelevers or to the middle of the beam and detachablylinked to the keelsonof the boat. These three chains keep the levers in alinement when theboat is raised; but when the central chain is released from the boat thepivoted ends of the levers rise to an angle, and the ends of the leversare thereby simultaneously released from the end chains, the boat beingthen free of the lifting-gear.

In order that my said invention may be particularly described andascertained, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, inwhich similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing a boat suspended according tomy invention, and Fig. 2 is an elevation showing a modification of thesame. Fig. 3 is an elevation of a modification of the levers.

a is the boat. I

Z) t are the two horizontal levers pivoted together at c.

d d are the ordinary falls, linked to the levers b b at e e.

f f are chains made fast to the keelson at g g and detachably linked tothe levers b b at n n.

h is a chain made fast to the pivoted portions of the levers at c anddetachably linked to the keelson of the boat at 10.

Z is a lanyard consisting of a rope or chain, one end of which isattached to a bolt or trigger m or other releasing device and the otherend to the keelson at p. 0 is a cover to protect the lanyard. Thereleasing device may be operated by a lever and suitable connections.

Referring to Fig. 3, thehorizontal levers are shown formed in threeparts. I) b are the two levers, which are united to the central beam 5by means of knuckle orrule joints at c c. e e are the eyes to which thelifts are attached.

When the boat is lowered to the water, the man in charge pulls thelanyard Z, and thereby withdraws the bolt m. This releases the chain h.The levers b b then become diagonal to each other, whereby the hookedends n n are withdrawn from the rings of the chains ff, as shown bydotted lines in Fig. 1. The

boat is then quite clear of all the lifting-gear.-'

c is a chain or rope for preventing the levers when diagonal turningover and for facilitating the operation of connecting the levers to theboats.

Referring to Fig. 2, r is a collar to which the falls (Z d are linked orhooked. d d are chains made fast to the collar 1' at s s and to thelevers b b at e e. tis a ram or weight pivotallyattached to the levers bb at c and guided at its upper end by passing through the col lar 7'. Bymeans of this ram or weight 15 (in addition to the chain h) the levers bb are kept in a horizontal position or at a suitable angle of not lessthan ninety degrees with the axis of the ram, thereby increasing thesecurity of the tackle when the boat is raised.

Other well-known or ordinary tackle for securing the boat to the davitswhen raised may be used in addition to that herein described.

The ends it of the levers b are sometimes provided with an extension nto prevent accidental disengagement should one end of the boat betemporarily borne by a wave. Also the eyes 6 e are sometimes madecapable of being adjusted along the levers b b, so as to adjust theleverage as found desirable.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a boat lowering and disengaging apparatus, a support comprisingpivoted leverarms, hoisting apparatus connected to each of saidlever-arms, means for detachably connecting the outer ends of saidlever-arms to the boat, a connection extending from the center of saidsupport and detachably secured to the boat, and means for releasing saidconnection from engagement with the boat, substantially as described.

2. In a boat lowering and disengaging apparatus, a pair of lever-armspivotally united at their inner ends, means for detachably connectingthe outer ends of said lever-arms to the boat, hoisting apparatusconnected to each of said lever-arms, a connection extending from thejoint of said lever-arms and detachably secured to the boat, andmeansfor releasing said connection from engagement with the boat,substantially as described.

3. In a boat lowering and disengaging apparatus, a pair of lever-armspivotally united at their inner ends, hoisting apparatus connected toeach of said lever-arms, chains connected, respectively, to each end ofthe boat and having free ends provided with rings which are adapted tobe inserted on the outer ends of the lever-arms, a chain connected atone end to the joint of said lever-arms and at its opposite end beingdetachably connected to the boat, and means for releasing saidlast-named chain from engagement with the boat, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a boat lowering and disengaging apparatus, a pair of lever-armspivotally united at their inner ends, hoisting apparatus, a collarcarried thereby, chains connected at one end to opposite sides of saidcollar and at their other end to the lever-arms, a Weight movablevertically in said collar and connected at its lower end to the joint ofsaid leverarms, chains connected to opposite ends of the boat and havingtheir outer ends detachably connected to the outer ends of saidlever-arms, a chain connected at one end to the joint of the lever-armsand at its opposite end to the boat, and means for releasing saidlastnained chain from engagement with the boat, substantially asdescribed.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE SPEIRS ALEXANDER RANKING.

iVitnesses:

MAURIoE REMFRY, DOUGLAS HENRY Bimini-av.

